DIMAPUR— The Dimapur District Auto Drivers’ Union (DDADU) has reiterated the directive to all its members in the commercial hub to wear the prescribed uniform and carry ID cards while providing service to passengers.
The union also cautioned the public not to take autorickshaws if drivers are without uniforms or ID cards, saying that if they do, they will be doing at their own risk.
DDADU president Tito Yeptho told Eastern Mirror it has been 15-20 years since autorickshaw drivers were asked to wear uniforms and carry ID cards for own their security as well as that of the passengers.
Many drivers continue to flout the directive, he said.
He said that it is mostly the Naga autorickshaw drivers who are refusing to wear uniforms or carry ID cards, and the non-Naga too follow suit.
[bsa_pro_ad_space id=1]“When the Naga drivers are not complying (with the directive), how can we force others?” Yeptho asked.
The DDADU president asserted that henceforth the union will strictly implement the order.
On complaints from passengers about the loss of personal belongings while travelling in an autorickshaw or altercation with the drivers, Yeptho pointed out that it is very difficult to track down the drivers without proper identification, as there are thousands of autorickshaws in Dimapur.
He, therefore, requested the public not to travel in autorickshaws if the drivers are without the items it has prescribed.
He went on to say that if a driver without a uniform and ID card meets with an incident or gets into any kind of trouble, the union will not take any responsibility for those drivers.
“There will be no fine or grace period but if any autorickshaw driver is found violating the order, the union along with the Dimapur Police will seize the particular auto, bring it to the union office and check if it is registered and in possession of proper documents. If not, the driver will be made to sign a bond,” he said.
The order, Yeptho insisted, is for the safety of both the passengers and the autorickshaw drivers.